Carpet sweeper comb



March 3, 1936. c. CRANON 2,032,345

CARPET SWEEPER COMB Filed D60. 18, 1933 VEA/Tp/e 5 WmW Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE 2,032,345 CARPET SWEEPER MB Israel 0. Cranon, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Earl Callan, Los Angeles, Calif.

My invention relates generally to carpet cleaners of the rotary brush type and more particularly to a comb or combs that are mounted within thehousing or body of the sweeper and which are designed to automatically move into the outer ends of the bristles of the brush for the purpose of removing sweepings and particularly threads,

ravelings and the like that are picked up by the brush.

The principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of brush cleaning combs for carpet sweepers and to mount the,

combs above the rotary brush so that said combs will hang downward to engage the outer ends of the bristles of the brush and thereby remove any sweepings such as threads, hair and ravelings that may tend to adhere to the end portions of the bristles.

A further object of my invention is, the provision of a carpet sweeper having a pair of separately formed combs situated above the brush with their teeth extending downwardly and pivotally mounted in the end walls of the sweeper body so as to alternately occupy cleaning and noncleaning positions with respect to the brush under rotative movement of said brush.

Another object of my invention is, the provision of a carpet sweeper having a pair of separately formed combs separately mounted above the brush with their teeth extending downwardly and the invention being characterized by the spacing of the combs from the top of the sweeper body so as to provide sufficient clearance therebetween so as to permit the free and unrestricted circulation of dust and sweepings between the combs and the sweeper body to the end of preventing accumulationpf sweepings and particularly lint on the comb and about their pivots to the extent of precluding the proper operation of the combs to efiectively clean the brush.

With the foregoing and other objects in .view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view taken through the center of the body of a carpet sweeper having a rotary brush and showing the combs contemplated by my invention positioned for use within said body.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a carpet sweeper with parts thereof broken away in order to more 1 clearly illustrate my invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a cross section through the end portion of a sweeper body and showing a modified form of the combs. 5

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken through the end portionof the sweeper body and showing the modified forms of combs.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. 1

Fig. 7 is a detail section showing a further modified form of the combs.

, Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, particularly Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, which show a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates the sweeper body that is mounted in the usual manner upon wheels II and arranged in the lower central portion of the body is a conventional brush I2 that is driven from said wheels as the sweeper is moved over the floor..

Arranged in the lower portion of the sweeper body to the sides of the brush, are the usual dust pans I3.

The combs contemplated by my invention, are longitudinally arranged within the sweeper body above the brush I2 and each comb is preferably formed in a singlepiece from suitable sheet metal and comprises a narrow strap or body portion I4 from the lower edgeof which projects teeth I 5. The ends of the body I4 are bent at right angles to form short arms I6 and passing through said arms are pins or screws I! that are seated in the end walls of the sweeper body. These pins or screws provide an axis upon which the comb swings and to limit the swinging movement of the comb in both directions, the ends of the arms I6 opposite the ends that are connected to the comb body I4, are bent outwardly to form short fingers I8 that project respectively into recesses I9 that are formed in the end walls of housing Ill.

The size and location of the openings I9 are such that the combs may swing freely for a limited distance and when the comb swings upwardly and outwardly to its limit of movement, the ends of the teeth I5 rest upon the outer ends of the bristles forming a part of brush I2 and when swung inwardly and downwardly to the limit of movement the ends of the teeth I5 project Into the tufts of bristles forming a part of the rotary brush.

- As the sweeper is moved backward and forward over the floor so as to cause the brush to engage the floor surface or its covering, one of the combs willbe automatically swung downward and :ln-

ward as a result of the engagement between the ends of the bristles and the comb teeth so that the latter project into the ends' of the bristles and thereby comb or remove from said bristles any sweepings and particularly threads, hair and ravelings that are picked up by the brush and at the latter project into the ends of the bristles cally swung outward and upward as a result of contact between the outer ends of the bristles and the teeth of the comb.

Following a reversal of the movement of the sweeper body, the sweepings or accumulations that accumulated on a comb that was moved inwardly and downwardly by the previous movement of the sweeper will be automatically removed from the teeth of the comb and such sweepings or accumulations will be deposited in one of the dust pans l3.

Inasmuch as the combs are located above the brush and on opposite sides of a plane that intersects the axis of the brush, the sweepings that are picked up by the brush andparticularly threads, hair and ravelings, will be carried less than half the way around the circumference of the brush before being removed by the teeth of the combs, thus adding materially to the efliciencyof the sweeper and materially reducing tendency of the fibrous sweepings to pass downwardly between the tufts of bristles in the brush and thereby clogging the latter.

In the construction just described the movements of the combs are entirely automatic and dependent only upon the frictional contact between the teeth of the comb-"and the ends of the bristles in the brush.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have shown a modified construction wherein the swinging movements of the combs are brought about mechanically as a result of connections with the axles that carry the sweeper wheels H.

In this construction, arms 20 are pivotally mounted on the wheel carrying axles 2| and the r are formed in the end walls of the sweeper body.

.As a result of this construction when the sweeper body is pressed downward by the operat: ing handle, the arms 20 that are connected to the axles 2| will be moved upward and inward a short distance and this upward. and inward movement, through the connecting pins 23 swing the arms IE on their axes and consequently impart swinging movement to the combs. 7

Thus the teeth of the combs are moved into the outer ends of the bristles of the brush so as to comb through said bristles and remove all sweepings and particularly 7 threads, hair and ravelings and which latter are removed fromthe teeth of the combs and deposited in the dust pans when the brush is reversely rotated as a result of the sweeperbody being moved in the opposite direction. r

In Fig. 7 I have shown a duplex or double comb and. such constructioncomprises a comb body 25 that is formed from a narrow strip of metal and projecting outwardly and downwardly from both edges of this body, are teeth 26. Formed integral with the ends of body 25, are depending ears 2! that are pivoted upon pins or screws that are seated in the end walls of the sweeper body.

This duplex comb is arranged directly above the brush of the sweeper with the-axis formed by the pins 28 in the same vertical plane with the axis of the brush.

Projecting upwardly from the ends of the comb body 25, are fingers 29 having outwardly bent end portions that project into a recess 30 that is formed in the end wall of the sweeper body.

The movement of the end of finger 29 from one side of the recess 39 to the other determines and limits the swinging movement of the duplex comb. When this construction is employed the comb teeth that are engaged by the upward moving bristles of the brush Will, as a result of frictional contact with the bristles, be drawn into the brush so that sweepings such as hair, ravelings and thread will be combed from the bristles and such action swings the teeth on the opposite side of the comb upwardly so that they clear the ends of the bristles.

As the sweeper is reversely moved, the duplex comb will automatically reverse its position and the teeth on the opposite side of the comb will engage and comb through the outer ends of the bristles that are moving upward.

After extensive tests and experiments'l'have demonstrated that it is possible to achieve satisfactory results by employing only one of the combs disclosed and while I have shown and described two combs, it will be understood that my invention contemplates the use of a single comb.

Thus it will be seen that 'I have provided an automatically acting comb for carpet sweepers that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very efiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved carpet sweeper comb may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: V

1. The combination with a sweeper body. and a brush mounted for rotation thereimof a comb arranged within the sweeper body above said brush with the teeth of said comb projecting downwardly toward the periphery of said brush, ears projecting at right angles from the ends of said comb, means forpivotally mounting said ears on theends of thesweeper body,'there being recesses in the end walls of the sweeper body adjacent to the ends of said ears and projections on the ends of said ears, which projec- V tions extend into said recesses.

2. The combination with a sweeper body mounted on wheels and a brush arranged for rotation within said body, of a comb pivotally mounted within the sweeper body above said brush, the teeth of which comb project downwardly toward the periphery of the brush and a connection between the wheel carrying axle and said comb whereby the teeth of the comb are swung downwardly into the brush as the sweeper body is moved downwardly relative tothe wheel carrying axle. V I I 3. The combination with a sweeperbody having a top and end walls and a brush mounted tively maintaining the same in at least tangential engagement with said bristles at all times.

4. The combination with a sweeper body having a top and end walls and a brush mounted for rotation therein, of at least one comb independently and pivotally mounted within the body above said brush with the teeth of said comb projecting downwardly into engagement with the bristles of said brush, said comb being spaced from the top of said sweeper body, an extension on at least one end of said comb, and means formed in at least one end wall of said body for engaging said extension of said comb and positively limiting the pivotal movement of said comb to maintain the same in at least tangential engagement with said bristles at all times.

5. The combination with a sweeper body having a top and end walls and a brush mounted for rotation therein, of at least one comb independently and pivotally mounted within the body above said brush with the teeth of said comb projecting downwardly into engagement with the bristles of said brush, said comb being spaced from the top 01' said sweeper body, ears projecting at right angles from the ends of said comb. means passing through said ears and into said end walls of said body for pivotally'mounting said comb, fingers projecting outwardly at right angles from the ends of said ears, the end walls of said body being formed to provide recesses therein for the reception of said fingers, and said recesses serving as positive limits to the pivotal movement of said comb in both directions and to maintain said comb in at least tangential engagement with said bristles at all times.

ISRAEL 0. CRANON. 

